Cleaning Device for a Climate Conditioner

ABSTRACT

There is described a device for cleaning of a climate conditioner indoor part ( 1 ), where a form stable enclosure box ( 6 ) forms a tight chamber around the indoor part ( 1 ) and is arranged to be able to be supplied with air at a pressure of 8-12 bar via a compressed air device ( 13 ) as a compressed air pipe ( 10 ) is provided with an opening and closing valve ( 15 ) arranged to be able to affect a high, pulsating air speed and reduced air flow, and is also provided with a suction device ( 14 ) having a capacity exceeding the amount of supplied air for thereby to provide an underpressure. Also described is a method for cleaning of a climate conditioner indoor part ( 1 ).

The invention is a device and a method for cleaning of a climateconditioner or a heat pump indoors part/heat exchanger for dust.

PRIOR ART

JP 07190683 is an appliance for cleaning of wall mounted, indoor heatexchangers. The method used relies on chemical cleaning agents withoutcompressed air or mechanical suction. The amount of chemical cleaningagent in this method will be substantial, and the danger of use ofunsuitable cleaning agents that may cause damage to the electronic partof the heat exchanger is considered to be appreciable. The appliance isnot form stable and is not suitable to create underpressure.

JP 2001027498A is an appliance for cleaning of indoor heat exchangers.The method used relies on the use of water. A water pressure arises whenthe appliance (the bellows) is forced against the heat exchanger andwhich then leads the water through the heat exchanger. As this methodrelies on use of water, it is most probably only intended for cleaningof heat exchangers that do not contain electric or electroniccomponents, which a modern indoor part for a heat pump does, as thesehave this integrated under the same cover.

JP 59030000A is an appliance for internal cleaning of the cooling pipesin a heat exchanger, popularly called “pipe flushing” and has norelation to cleaning of the heat exchanger outside ribs and/or betweenthese.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,393B1 is an appliance for internal cleaning of thecooling pipes in a heat exchanger, popularly called “pipe flushing” andhas no relation to cleaning of the heat exchanger outside ribs and/orbetween these.

The largest drawbacks of the prior art is:

-   -   use of chemical cleaning agents,    -   time consuming fitting up/stripping down,    -   liquid/chemical spill is no good in combination with electronic        components,    -   difficulties in keeping overview during the cleaning process,    -   final result of the cleaning will be difficult to control        without having to dismantle the indoor part.

The object of the invention is to remedy or reduce at least one of theprior art drawbacks, or at least to obtain a useful alternative to priorart.

The object is achieved by the features stated in the description belowand in the following claims.

The invention deviates substantially from all the up to now knownmethods for cleaning of the indoor part of the climate conditioner as itutilises:

-   -   a transparent enclosure box in a form stable material,    -   pulsating compressed air (inlet air),    -   mechanical suction function giving a dominating underpressure,    -   no use of chemicals.

This results in timesaving and efficient cleaning, and also prolongedlifetime and higher efficiency of the heat exchanger.

An enclosure box is placed on the outside of an indoor part as atemporary airtight encapsulation abutting a wall. The enclosure box ismade of a transparent material to be able to have a full view of andcontrol with the process up to the point when the air in the enclosurebox is clean and the indoor part free of dust. The enclosure box is madeof a form stable material because it is to withstand an underpressure.

The enclosure box is supplied with air having 8-12 bar pressure, as theair is led through a nozzle/compressed air pipe having an opening andclosing valve giving a high pulsating air speed and small airflow.

By means of pulsating air pressure waves, the dust comes loose in theindoor part and is forced out into the enclosure box and further to asuction device.

The suction device will suck out more air than is blown in. Anunderpressure will then arise in the enclosure box, and this conditionwill dominate during the whole process as a balanced pressure/suctionfunction.

This method makes it possible to clean the indoor part without the aidof any form of chemical cleaning agents, only dry clean air. This isthen only possible with this specially adapted enclosure box.

The above points are the most important functions deviating from priorart methods and/or apparatuses.

In the following is described an example of a preferred embodimentillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through an indoor part where a deviceaccording to the invention is connected; and

FIG. 2 shows in perspective an enclosure box setting about beingarranged on the indoor part after the front cover is removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An enclosure box 6 is arranged on the outside of an indoor part 1 afterthe front cover 2 and filter 3 have been removed from the indoor part 1as shown in FIG. 2.

The enclosure box 6 is provided with a gasket 7 being squeezed against awall behind such that dust tightness around the indoor part 1 is formed.The enclosure box 6 is hung off the upper rear edge of the indoor part 1by means of a fastener 12 as shown in FIG. 1.

On top of and in front of the enclosure box 6 three longitudinalopenings, also called blowing slots 8 being of equal length to the widthof the indoor part 1 are arranged and sealed with two opposing bulbgaskets 9, so that the blowing slots 8 becomes tight and that dust doesnot come out through them.

A compressed air pipe 10 is led through the blowing slot 8 and directedtoward or led in through the indoor part fan and radiator fins insidethe indoor part 1, for in this way to loosen and transport dust out viaa suction device 14 shown in FIG. 1.

To be able to lead the dust out, there is in the left hand side of theenclosure box 6 a suction pipe stub 11. This is arranged remote from theindoor part 1 electronics 5, which in the example shown is arranged onthe right hand side so that the dust is led away from the electronicsand toward the suction pipe stub in the bottom where it is evacuated.

The task of the enclosure box 6 is as mentioned to get all the dust ledout of the climate conditioner indoor part 1 without the dust whirlingout into the room during the process. The dust is so fine that it haspassed through the filters and has settled inside the indoor part 1.

1. A device for cleaning of a climate conditioner indoor part (1), thedevice comprising an enclosure box (6) made of a form stable materialable to withstand an underpressure, further being arranged to form atemporary airtight encapsulation abutting a wall, forms a tight chamberaround the indoor part (1) and is arranged to be able to be suppliedwith air at a pressure of 8-12 bar via a compressed air device (13), asa compressed air pipe (10) is provided with an opening and closing valve(15) arranged to be able to affect a high pulsating air speed andreduced air flow the enclosure box (6) further being provided with asuction device (14) having a capacity exceeding the amount of airsupplied for thus to provide an underpressure.
 2. A device according toclaim 1, further comprising the enclosure box (6) is provided with afastener (12) arranged to be able to hold and to force a gasket (7)arranged on the enclosure box (6) against a wall by means of the upperrear edge of the indoor part (1).
 3. A device according to claim 1further comprising the enclosure box (6) in its top and front isprovided with blowing slots (8) having two opposing bulb gaskets (9) andare arranged to be able to receive and in a sealing way enclose thecompressed air pipe (10).
 4. A device according to claim 1 furthercomprising the enclosure box (6) is provided with a suction pipe stub(11) arranged remote from an electronics part (5) as the suction pipestub (11) is connected to a suction device (14).
 5. A device accordingto claim 1 further comprising the enclosure box (6) is made of atransparent, form stable material.
 6. A device according to claim 3further comprising the compressed air pipe's (10) opening and closingvalve (15) is arranged to be able to be led in between the bulb gaskets(9) in the blowing slot (8).
 7. A method for cleaning of a climateconditioner indoor part (1), the method comprises the steps of: forminga tight chamber around the indoor part (1) by means of an enclosure box(6) made of a form stable material able to withstand an underpressureand arranged to form a temporary airtight encapsulation abutting a wall,supplying the enclosure box (6) with air at a pressure of 8-12 bar via acompressed air device (13), pulsating and expanding the compressed airthrough a compressed air pipe (10) which is provided with an opening andclosing valve (15) arranged to be able to give a high, pulsating airspeed and reduced air flow, and providing an underpressure within theenclosure box (6) by means of a suction device (14).